Supporting Shutz in city council election | Letter

Who is that quiet friend, neighbor or family member that can be counted on to help when there is a need? Who is that ostentatious friend, neighbor or family member that can be counted to complain about so much, but knowing so little?

This is the contrast we face for position 2 on Redmond City Council. We have a choice between Byron Shutz, who is that friend that will always be there. Or Steve Fields, who creates noise on community areas of frustration — traffic, development, affordable housing and also laments at how the city isn’t addressing anything. What he doesn’t seem to know, or respect is how hard his neighbors have been working on these areas for years.

Steve lost a close election for mayor in 2015. After the election, when nobody was paying attention, what did Steve do? Did he pursue his “passion” for the city and serve alongside the dozens of volunteers? No. Not prior or since 2015.

It is easy to complain, look at Facebook. It is easy to be frustrated, sit in traffic. It is easy to be worried about living in Redmond, look at rental rates and housing prices. It is difficult to commit energy, patience and time, several days a week, for years, in service to our city. It is difficult to work through issues where people with opposing viewpoints all have coherent points. It is difficult to persist.

Byron Shutz is one of the council members people may know of the least, but ask city volunteers or a community-oriented not-for-profit in the area, and they will know Byron as a quiet tireless servant, here to serve the community, not himself.

It is important to vote, and to vote for who you believe in — for me that vote goes to Byron Shutz.

Shawn Roland

Redmond